Window & glazing cleaning
Routine and post-construction window cleaning on commercial and residential envelopes. Pure-water systems for streak-free results on glazed facades, atria and roof glazing.
Rope access cleaning — windows, facades, heritage & industrial
Specialist high-level cleaning — building, heritage and industrial — where access from below isn't viable.
What is rope access cleaning?
Rope access cleaning is high-level cleaning carried out by IRATA-certified technicians working from engineered twin-rope systems, used wherever scaffolding, cradles or MEWPs are impractical, uneconomic or impossible to deploy. Because there is no platform to erect or hire, a team can reach a facade, atrium or roof structure within minutes of arriving on site, work through an elevation in a single visit, and demobilise the same day — with no permanent obstruction at ground level and minimal disruption to the operation below.
On commercial and residential buildings the work spans routine and post-construction window and glazing cleaning, full facade washing across stone, brick, metal and curtain-wall envelopes, and the removal of atmospheric pollution, traffic film and biological staining. On listed and heritage fabric, conservation-grade methods take over: low-pressure DOFF superheated steam lifts soiling, paint and biological growth from masonry without harming lime mortar or original stone — a low-intrusion approach suited to listed buildings, civic and heritage elevations.
In industrial settings the brief shifts from appearance to hygiene and risk. Apex cleans high-level steelwork, trusses, ductwork and overhead surfaces in food, pharmaceutical and manufacturing facilities where settled dust is a contamination concern, and carries out specialist dust mitigation in flour mills, granaries and silos where combustible deposits gather on internal steel out of reach of conventional cleaning. The same methods handle bird-guano decontamination and sanitisation of fouled surfaces, followed by proofing to stop the birds returning.
Part of Rope Access Division.
How we deliver.
Facade cleaning
Stone, brick, metal and glazed facade cleaning — including removal of atmospheric pollutant and traffic staining. Methods matched to the substrate, with no damage to original finishes.
DOFF & heritage steam cleaning
Low-pressure superheated steam cleaning for masonry & stone.
Pressure & soft washing
Pressure and soft-wash cleaning on facades and render. Soft-wash chemistry where pressure would damage the substrate.
Anti-graffiti removal & coatings
Reactive graffiti removal and the application of sacrificial and permanent anti-graffiti coatings to vulnerable elevations.
Bird guano cleaning & sanitisation
Removal, decontamination and sanitisation of bird-fouled high-level surfaces — infection-control compliant. Followed by netting or spike installation to prevent return.
High-level steelwork vacuuming
Industrial vacuum cleaning of beams, trusses, ductwork and steelwork. Hygiene-driven cleans in food, pharma and manufacturing facilities where dust is a contamination risk.
Dust mitigation — mills & silos
Specialist dust removal in flour mills, granaries, silos and processing plants where conventional cleaning can't reach combustible deposits on internal steelwork.
Where we deliver.
Rope access cleaning suits any building or industrial environment where scaffolding is impractical, costly or disruptive to operations. Apex delivers nationally across the UK from our Matlock HQ.
- Commercial property
- Hotels & hospitality
- Listed & heritage buildings
- Food & pharma manufacturing
- Industrial & manufacturing sites
- Education & healthcare
- Rail stations & transport hubs
In action.
Case studies.
See moreRevolut HQ, Canary Wharf
Two 5m flex face letters installed at Revolut's global HQ — heavy-lift sections in excess of 900kg, mixed BMU and rope access.
Read moreLeonardo Hotels Re-Brand
Nationwide signage rollout converting the Jurys Inn estate to Leonardo Hotels — flex face, built-up and totem signage across the portfolio.
Read moreWalcott Hall, Stamford
Restoration of original timber sash windows on a Grade I listed hall, delivered while the building continued to host events.
Read moreHyatt Place, Leeds
Four sets of illuminated built-up lettering installed during the live construction phase, with bespoke temporary anchorage.
Read moreTrue Student
Multi-site brand rollout across student accommodation buildings — built-up signage, contra-vision vinyl and large-format banners.
Read moreStaycity Aparthotels, London Heathrow
Two 7.5m illuminated tray signs installed adjacent to live railway infrastructure, delivered in coordination with Network Rail.
Read moreFAQs.
What is DOFF cleaning, and when is it used?
DOFF cleaning is a low-pressure, superheated-steam cleaning method developed for sensitive heritage stonework. It removes biological growth, paint, atmospheric soiling and most weathering deposits at temperatures around 150°C without damaging lime mortar or original stone — making it the conservation method of choice on listed buildings and cathedral fabric.
Can rope access cleaning be done while the building is occupied?
Yes — that's one of the main advantages over scaffolding. There's no scaffold erection, no permanent obstruction at ground level, and works can typically run during normal operating hours with minimal disruption to occupants. We agree access windows and exclusion zones with the building manager up-front.
What about cleaning in food and pharma sites?
Apex teams work to food-safety standards and infection-control protocols when cleaning high-level steelwork, ductwork and overhead surfaces in food, pharma and manufacturing facilities. Equipment is sanitised between zones; cleaning chemistry is matched to the facility's permitted-substance list; sign-off documentation supports your audit trail.
How quickly can you mobilise to a site?
We mobilise as quickly as availability allows once the survey is signed off, and prioritise framework and contract clients. Urgent works — bird-guano contamination, reactive graffiti removal, post-storm fouling — are pushed up the schedule; call the team on 01629 333992 to talk through timing for your site.
Talk to our Rope Access team about cleaning
Contact our Rope Access team today about your project. We aim to respond within 24 hours.